Leading Saudi exhibitor Muvi Cinemas is ramping up its production activities and will start shooting on its next Saudi film El Senor by Aymen Khoja on December 9.
Starring Yasir Alsaggaf and Bayoumi Fouad, the comedy is one of 10 films backed by Muvi’s production arm Muvi Studios that the exhibitor will release over the next 12 months.
Among them is Red Sea competition film Mandoob, co-production with Telfaz 11 that releases on December 14. The Egyptian comedy Esabat Azeema starring Esaad Yunes will be released on January 4, 2010. Muvi aims to support 24 films per year by 2025. The production push comes after the success of its first two films this year, Saudi comedy
Sattarand Egyptian Comedy Two for Rent. Muvi Cinemas CEO Adon Quinn said the two films comprised 18% of the exhibitor’s total box office in the first half of 2023.
Muvi Cinemas has 205 screens in Saudi, about 31% of the country’s total, in 21 locations.
“The growth of the box office in Saudi is going to be driven by local content,” said Quinn.
Muvi Studios’ focus is on commercial films, predominantly comedies, from Saudi and Egypt. It will finance the majority films, with an average of $2m. I think this is where Saudi will go.”
